Clay's P.O.V.
I was just about to finish off my shift at the Crestmont when I got a text from Aria telling me that she was gonna be home later. I was a little disappointed, but I decided to hide my disappointment in the text. I slipped my phone back into my pocket, and I pulled out something else. Aria and I had been together for a year and a half, and even though we were still teenagers, I knew that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. I stared at the small black velvet box in my lightly clenched hand.
I opened the box and I stared at the beautiful diamond ring that was nestled into the black satin. Maybe next time, man. I slipped the box back into my pocket. And I clocked out and went back to the apartment, and waited for Aria to get home. It was nice living with her in our own apartment, and even though it was a one-bedroom apartment, it was a good start for the both of us.
When I arrived back at the apartment, I made dinner for Aria. When I was in the bathroom, I kept digging my hand through my pocket and I stared at the diamond ring nestled into the satin. Then, I heard the front door open, and I quickly shut the box and I shoved it back into my pocket and I hoped that when I hugged Aria, she wouldn't feel the bulky shape.
"Baby, I'm home," I heard her say as she set her bag down next to the door. I walked out of the bathroom and hugged her. "How was work?" I asked. She let out a sigh after I asked her that, she sat down on the couch and threw her head back against one of the pillows. "Exhausting, You'll never believe who I saw today," she said lifting her head up slightly to look at me. I was a little worried, fearing that she saw Bryce or one of his friends. "Oh no, who was it?" I said as I sat down next to her.
"Bryce, Bryce freaking Walker," she answered. After his trial, Aria and I tried to avoid him as much as we could. He may look like he has changed to other people, but I could see through the cracks in his mask that he was still the same monster that raped Jessica, Hannah, and Chloe. "Did he try to hurt you?" I asked gently squeezing her right hand. She sat up and she shook her head slightly.
"No, he was asking if we broke up, and that if we did, he said that I could always come to him," she explained. I gagged after she said that. When I looked back at Aria's eyes, I could see that they were full of fear. "Don't worry, I'm not gonna let Bryce hurt you, if he even tries, I will kill him," I said. I wrapped my arms around her and she let out a shaking breath.
"I still can't believe he's allowed to go on with his life while Jessica and Hannah had to suffer," she muffled. I gently lifted her chin up when we pulled apart. I could see a few tears fall down her face, and without hesitation, I kissed her tears away before placing my lips onto hers. The kiss wasn't long, but it was soft and passionate all at once. When we were slightly out of breath, we gently rested our foreheads against each other I glanced into those beautiful brown eyes.
"How did I get so lucky to have a boyfriend like you?" she whispered. I smiled at her, and I pulled her into another kiss, and we cherished this moment between us, not wanting it to end.